Obituary of Charles H. Gustafson

The Reverend Charles H. Gustafson, 92, of Jamestown, NY and Palm Harbor, FL, passed away on Friday, January 1, 2021, in St. Mark Village, Palm Harbor, FL. Rev. Gustafson was born November 29, 1928 in Jamestown, NY, a son of the late Harold E. and Arlene Lawson Gustafson. He was a 1946 graduate of Jamestown High School and received his Bachelor of Arts Degree from Augustana College, Rock Island, IL in 1950 and his Bachelor of Divinity Degree from the Augustana Theological Seminary in 1954. He was ordained into the Lutheran ministry at Los Angeles, California in June of 1954. In June of 1972, he was awarded a Master of Divinity Degree from the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago, IL. Rev. Gustafson began his ministry as a congregational pastor at Salem Lutheran Church, Williamsport, PA from 1954-1959. Subsequent parish ministry service included Bethany Lutheran Church, Elmira, NY from 1959-1970, and served as pastor of Bethel Lutheran Church in Jamestown from 1970- 1991. He is remembered as a faithful pastor, devoted to his congregations, and by countless persons whose lives he enriched through his ministry. During his tenure as pastor of Bethany Lutheran Church in Elmira he was the President of the Chemung County Council of Churches, Chairman of the Council Day Care Program, President of the Elmira Ministerial Association, and the longtime reporter for the "Religion in the News", a weekly radio program. He was also named to the Organizing Committee for the Central Pennsylvania Synod of the Lutheran Church in America and was instrumental in the building of a new educational unit at Bethany Lutheran Church. During his time as pastor of Bethel Lutheran Church in Jamestown he served the wider church in many capacities. He was President of the Jamestown Ministerial Association, President of the Jamestown Ecumenical Ministries and Chairman of the JEM Counseling Program. He served several terms on the church council of the Upstate New York Synod and on several committees of the Synod. He also served as the Dean of the Southwestern Conference of the Upstate New York Synod. He served as a delegate to three of the church wide conventions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. He also served on the Board of Trustees of Thiel College, Greenville, PA and as a night Chaplain at W.C.A. Hospital for several years. It was while he was pastor at Bethel Lutheran that an elevator was installed, and a new organ was completed. Following his retirement in 1991, Rev. Gustafson served a year as the interim pastor of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Jamestown, where he and his wife Esther became members. He continued to conduct an Adult Study Group each Sunday, sang in the church choir, and served as Visitation Pastor. During his retirement he also served the Jamestown area as a pulpit supply pastor for several years. For many years the Gustafson's spent the winter months in St. Petersburg, FL until they moved to their permanent residence at St. Mark Village in Palm Harbor, FL in 2015. While living in Florida they were members of the St. Andrew Lutheran Church where pastor Gustafson sang in the choir and on occasion was called upon to conduct the worship service. He enjoyed playing golf, reading, spending time with family and friends, traveling and attending various cultural events. Surviving is his wife of 67 years, Esther Parmenter Gustafson whom he married August 29, 1953, a son; Timothy Gustafson of Albuquerque, NM, a daughter; Beth (David) Wilfong of Jamestown, NY, four grandchildren; Jasen Bruce of Tampa, FL, Bruce Gustafson of Albuquerque, NM, Kasey Wilfong, Cody Ann Gustafson both of Jamestown, NY, and a great granddaughter; Vera Bruce of FL. Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by a grandson, Jeremy M. Bruce who died September 29, 2019, and several cousins. A memorial service for Rev. Gustafson will be held in the spring of 2021 to be announced by the Lind Funeral Home. Inurnment will be in the Lake View Cemetery. The family suggests that memorials be made to the St. Mark Village, 2655 Nebraska Ave. Palm Harbor, FL 34684, the St. Andrews Lutheran Church, 1901 62nd Ave South, St. Petersburg, FL 33712 or to the Bethel Lutheran Church, 904 West 3rd St. Jamestown, NY 14701 or to a charity of one's choice.